Sort Of
by candyflavordlies
Summary: Sometimes, he thinks about what it would be like to wake up next to her. Sometimes, she thinks about what it would be like to be old enough. And sometimes things are...complicated. A collection of semi-cohesive drabbles focusing on the relationship between Annie and Jeff through their years at Greendale and beyond. Minor spoilers through season 4.
1. Before This

**_Author's Notes:_**_ Hello everyone! Turns out I'm alive. And I've been writing this story for a very long time, but never got a chance to post it. This started out as a way to get all of my Annie/Jeff mini-ideas out of my head (an alphabet prompt based story somewhat inspired by Ingrid Michaelson's 'Sort Of'). It has since become a story I've absolutely fallen in love with. Enjoy!_

Sometimes, Jeff tries to forget what he was like before all of this. Because it inevitably leads to all consuming self scrutiny and loathing.

He can't imagine going back to that now but if he doesn't, what has this all been for?

He practices his lawyer faces in the mirror every morning just to make sure he still has it. He looks like a douche.

This isn't what he wanted - he wasn't looking for friends or family or self discovery and somehow, he's managed to find that and more.

He hates Shirley and her sincerity and her reason because damn it, she made so much damn sense it hurt to think about. She's right, that people do change and he hates it.


	2. It's Only Ever Christmas

Their biggest moments only ever seem to happen around Christmas.

It's never as they're walking down the hall mid-April or as they're ending the semester in late May. It's never something small or seemingly inconsequential but rather a defining moment in rather mundane events.

And it only ever happens at Christmas. He intends to change that. It's a pretty innocuous day in March, a month devoid of any major holidays and he decides that now is as good a time as any.

She's talking about something which isn't surprising because Annie is almost always talking. He doesn't mind - there are so many fascinating nuances in watching her that half the time, he isn't even paying attention. She seems to notice this as she huffs and turns to glare at him.

"Are you even listening to me?"

He holds the door open as they step out into the brisk air.

"Nope." Before she can start up one of her tantrums, his arms are around her waist and all she can think about is how warm he is and then his lips are on hers. She's surprised - delightfully so, and leans in closer.

When they finally part, all Annie can manage is a noncommittal 'huh'.

Jeff counts it as a win that she doesn't slap him. For extra safety, he gives her one of his most charming smiles. He slides his arms from around her, and he doesn't know what possesses him to do so, but he tugs the hood of her wool jacket to cover her ears which are turning pink in the bitter cold.

"So..."

"So...?"

"Wanna grab some coffee?" Her face scrunches up. "Sorry, I forgot, no coffee after four or you turn into a gremlin or something."

"Ha ha. Very funny." He shoves his hands in his coat pockets.

"How about tea? Or hot chocolate?" She perks up at the latter.

"With the little marshmallows?"

"Of course." He gestures forward with an elbow. She loops her arm in his and snuggles into his side as they walk to his car. Annie smiles up at him. He smiles back.

"That sounds wonderful."


	3. Guessing Game

**_Author's__ Note: _**_I should probably mention that these aren't necessarily in order. I gave myself a prompt, wrote the story and then moved on. Otherwise I'd put myself in a bind like I did with my Alice story. With that said, this one is actually part of a story within this story - let's call it the Imperfect Timeline._ _When possible, I'll try to warn you when one of those comes up (the first few aren't nearly as cheery as the last chapter)._

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><p>Annie is tired of it, this guessing game. She never knows where she stands or what he wants and she's *tired*. So she stops.<p>

She quits it cold turkey and its both the best and worst feeling in the world. Abed makes a comment about the change in the group dynamic - the inevitable snapping of the proverbial rubberband.

Shirley gives him her I'm listening but I don't understand smile, Troy says something about exploding and Britta commits to trying, and failing miserably, to figure out what Abed is talking about.

And Jeff...he pretends to text someone but she can see him glancing at her from time to time.

She pushes down the fluttering in her stomach. She won't let him do this anymore. This isn't some feminine ploy to get him to take notice. No, this was Annie Edison growing up and moving on.

She clears her throat and opens her textbook to chapter 7.

"Are we going to study or what?"

And just like that, she's pushing forward, leaving that dream behind in search of one a bit more attainable.


	4. Hardly

"I hope this isn't some half-hearted attempt to domesticate me, because I'm telling you right now, its not going to work."

Annie scoffs. "Hardly." She turns sharply down an aisle. "It's just, you're the tallest person I know. I swear this place was made for giants."

Annie continues to mutter under her breath as she drags him along, basket in hand. She seems to _only_ need things from the top of these ridiculously high shelves and it's funny because things like this start to make Jeff understand what his mom meant about 'fitting' someone. She used to talk about it, years ago, when he was still angry and bitter about his father leaving. He never understood how she could still love the man that abandoned them. And one day, when he was 15 or 16, he'd said as much. She tried to explain it to him. She'd talked to him then about fitting, about needing and loving someone so much because everything you did wrong, they got right and everything you couldn't do, they somehow could. She got this wistful look whenever she started up and he would listen, try to make sense of it but he never could.

"Jeff?"

"Yeah?"

"I asked you if you could get the sugar."

"Yeah sure, sorry. What are you making anyway?" He places the ten pound bag of sugar in the cart and she crosses it off of her list.

"I'm going to try my hand at apple pie!" She beams at him and he's not sure if he should be clapping or something but he smiles and that seems to be enough. He leans across the back of the shopping cart, his hands folded over the handle.

"That sounds adventurous."

"Well, Troy and Abed are going on a road trip this weekend and I don't usually get time alone so I'm really excited."

"You get an entire weekend off and you're big plan is to bake pies?" Jeff raises an eyebrow and Annie scoffs.

"Some of us enjoy the domestic life. Besides, what are you doing this weekend, Mr. Hot Shot?" Her hand is on her hip which can only mean that she's getting herself riled up for a fight. Jeff smirks.

"For your information, Mary Homemaker, I plan to enjoy a quiet weekend at home drinking scotch and watching the game."

Annie spots the shortening on the 4th shelf up and decides that no, she doesn't need Jeff's help and yes, she can reach it by herself. She huffs and raises up on her tip toes.

"I don't see how that's any better than what I'm doing." She only succeeds in pushing the container farther back on the shelf.

"Well for one, my plans involve no work." He would never say it aloud but Annie is absolutely adorable in her independence. Her face is decidedly unhappy at her current predicament and short of climbing up the thing, Jeff is sure she'll never be able to reach her goal.

"Sometimes it's worth putting the work in Jeff." As if to make her point, she gives a little jump which pushes the carton of shortening completely out of reach. Just as she lets out a frustrated growl, she feels him behind her. His figure dwarfs hers and all the light behind her. She's suddenly surrounded and she forgets for a moment where she is and what they're talking about.

"I'll tell you what, how about you come over to my place and bake this mystical apple pie. I'll offer you endless criticism and then benefit from all your efforts." He pulls away and dumps the container into the cart. Annie smooths out the imaginary wrinkles in her skirt and offers him a sarcastic smile.

"So, just like school?"

"Pretty much."

"Great! In which case, we'll probably need to get another bag of apples. I promised Troy and Abed that I'd save them some and I wanted to take a slice or two for Britta and Pierce. Oh and Shirley too! We also need ice cream and whipped cream..."

Annie reads through her list as she walks down the aisle, Jeff leisurely pushes the shopping cart behind her. As she flits from place to place, he thinks that maybe once in a while, this domestic thing isn't all that bad.


	5. When All Is Done

Its two weeks before graduation when she says it.

She's leaving. There's a paid internship in Nevada and she's super excited to study forensic science in the same city where they film CSI and isn't this crazy?

He nods and he smiles but Jeff can't share in her enthusiasm.

She's already found an apartment with a pool and clean hallways and strict rules about the type of people that live there. If everything works out, she'll have a real job in three months and maybe this is it, her chance to be an adult. They joke about perpetual childhood and Jeff says something funny and witty because it's what he does when he pretends he doesn't care.

But he does.


	6. Love Letter

_Dear Annie,_

He rolls his eyes. Four years of college and he still writes like a teenage girl confessing her latest crush to her diary.

He sighs and leans back in his chair. Why was this so hard? They've been friends and sort of more than that on and off again for years now, yet here he is, struggling to write a brief card.

But there isn't an easy way to do this. To end an era and all that came with it. It isn't easy to find yourself an adult at the end of the road because Jeff thinks might be what people meant when they told him to grow up.

He doesn't want to. He wants this to last a few more months, years, maybe forever but that seems too permanent. But mostly he wants Annie to stay, to always be there, to always be smiling and laughing and gasping indignantly at everything he says. He just wants her to stay.

He leans forward again.

_Dear Annie..._


	7. Quest for Truth

_**Author's**_** Note:** Part of the Imperfect Timeline. Happiness to come later!

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><p>"Annie, wait!" Jeff told himself long ago that it would be a cold day in hell before he chases, literally <em>chases<em>, after a girl. But here he is, jogging after no other than Annie Edison.

She pretends she can't hear him even as people stare at her. She refuses to stop because, for once, she doesn't want to be the one doing all the work. Even if its silly and childish, Annie wants to be worth chasing.

She knows that she's smart and pretty and overall, a damn good catch. She _knows_ this and somehow Jeff makes her doubt it all.

"Annie, what the hell?" He's a little winded from the bobbing and weaving and the mowing over people but he's finally caught up to her.

She feigns ignorance as she glances to the side.

"Oh, hey Jeff. Did you need something?" He almost stumbles, as if her words alone throw him off.

"Seriously, what is up with you?" He expects to hear some form of protest or indignation but she is quiet and non-reactive.

"What do you mean?"

Jeff squints at her. He doesn't like this conversation. She's as pleasant as she is with everyone and maybe that's the part he doesn't like, because he's not everyone.

So he drops it.

"Nothing. I'll see you tomorrow." Her eyes change for just a moment and Jeff isn't sure what he's seeing but it might be disappointment.

He stops then and she keeps walking and it all seems so final.

That night, Jeff commences Operation Quest for Truth.


	8. Somebody Save Me

Annie finds him in a bar a few blocks from his apartment. The text from Britta is vague and cryptic but clear enough to know that something isn't right.

He's hard to miss in this crowd. He's too tall, dark and brooding for a place like this. She makes her way to where he is and slides into the seat next to him.

"Hey."

Jeff glances at her from over the rim of his glass. If he's surprised to see her, it doesn't show.

"Hey. What are you doing here?" Annie shrugs.

"I got word from a trusted source that you were in need of a friend. So, here I am." She smiles at him. Jeff snorts.

"Britta sucks."

"She's just worried about you."

"I guess she told you what happened?"

"No, not really. Do you want to talk about it?" It's Jeff's turn to shrug. Annie is content to sit with him in silence as she takes in the people around her. Jeff flags down the bartender.

"An apple martini for the lady." The man looks at her suspiciously but it's after 9pm and you need ID to get in so she ignores him and turns back to the miserable man beside her.

"What are you having?"

"A midlife crisis maybe?" Annie chuckles.

"Don't be so dramatic. That's at least another five years out." He raises his eyebrow at that.

"You wound me." For the first time, he takes in her touseled hair and slighty flushed cheeks. "Did I interrupt something?"

"What? Oh! No. I was doing yoga. Trying to do yoga. It's really hard. And you spend like half the video in downward facing dog."

If Annie only knew how absolutely off track his mind has gone, she might actually smack him. His eyes flick to her lips and for a moment, he truly considers kissing her and maybe he needs lay off the scotch. All he can manage is a grunt before he takes another sip. He casts a sideways glance at his drinking partner and does a double take when he catches sight of her legs.

"You're wearing pants." Annie looks bemused and he is for sure bewildered because its been what three, four years? And he's never seen her in pants. Ever.

"Yes." She shakes her head and plays with the rim of her glass. "They're my big girl pants." She smiles sadly and takes a healthy gulp. Jeff nods because he thinks he might understand.

"I met my dad today." Annie's head snaps up. Huh, he thinks. Turns out Britta isn't _completely_ untrustworthy.

"And...?"

"And..." Jeff breathes heavily, "he's a dick."

"Oh."

He laughs. "Yeah."

"Sorry."

"Don't be. I'm not. I was worried all these years that there was something I was missing out on but I was wrong. Things were perfect without him. I'm glad I'm old enough to know that. I didn't miss out on anything."

"Parents are like that, ya know. They suck." She stirs her drink absently. She looks at him thoughtfully. "What about your mom?"

"What about her?"

"Awesome or awful?" Jeff smiles.

"She's pretty damn awesome."

"You never talk about her."

"I've got to keep some secrets or I'll lose my charm." Annie snorts.

"Right." She takes a long sip from her glass.

"Why do you drink those things?"

"They're delicious."

"You've never had anything else, have you?" Annie scoffs. Jeff holds up his hand.

"Save it, Edison." He motions to the bartender. "Can I get a Mojito Three?" The young man nods and zips to the other end of the bar.

"A what?" Jeff smiles knowingly.

"You'll see."

* * *

><p>Annie spends the rest of the night trying a dozen different mixed drinks. Turns out she likes mojitos. She's not a huge fan of pina coladas but could drink her fair share of daiquiris. Jeff won't let her drink more than half of anything and by the end of the night, she's thankful for that. They're both doubled over in laughter as they stumble out of the bar. Annie is clutching Jeff's arm to steady herself as she struggles to put on her jacket.<p>

"How did you get here, anyway?"

"I took the bus." Jeff visibly shudders.

"What?"

"I don't think they clean those things. It's like riding around in the back of a garbage truck. Except I know they clean those." Annie rolls her eyes.

"Scared you'll get a few germs on your $800 dollar sweater?"

"No, I'm worried you'll get hepatitis from touching the poles. Come on, I'll drive you home."

"You don't have to do that."

"I know but I want to. It's the least I can do for that embarrassing display of sentimentality earlier."

"I think the word you're looking for is humanity."

Jeff snorts, though he'll never admit to that, and smiles as he offers his arm. Annie links her arm around his and pulls in close to his side.

"Alright but I don't want you whining about having to drive all the way across town." They start the short walk to his car that Jeff wishes would take forever. Annie is a little wobbly and full of giggles and it chases all the bad, dark, unwanted feelings away. And given how his day started out, he's in a pretty good place. He looks away as he mumbles to himself.

"Wouldn't dream of it."


	9. Vast and Vastly Inappropriate

_**Author's**_**_ Note_:**_ A guest reviewer asked a great question - are these in order? No, no they aren't in any particular order. This started out as an alphabet driven collection of drabbles depicting a dozen different points in the show and beyond. It has since turned into 2 or 3 different timelines. Instead of mapping and fleshing out 3 different stories, I decided to put these short chapters in one place. My hope is that if you're a fan of Community, and more specifically, Jeff and Annie, you can find something here that makes sense to you and that you enjoy (maybe you like them broody, or flirty, or a stronger version of Annie and less douchey version of Jeff). There are a few chapters that have morphed into something of their own and I've labeled them the Imperfect Timeline. _At some later point, I may separate out those few if they seem *too* independent.__

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><p>Jeff's 'Annie Image Bank' is vast and, by any stretch of the term, vastly inappropriate.<p>

He acknowledges that there may be a problem when he finds himself recalling her legs, of all things. He's seen her stripped to nothing but her bra and panties and he's fixated on her legs. But they're long and lean and perfect.

It's unfortunate because now he can't *not* look at them all the time. And she seems to tip toe for everything. Every single thing she reaches for requires her to overextend so that she is leaning over and lengthening her legs and she is one long sensual line of woman.

He tries not to focus on it but that takes far too much concentration and he finds himself fumbling over words and questions and hell, even his own two feet.

As soon as it's a little warmer, she starts wearing shorter and shorter skirts and at some point, she'd pick up a pair of heels and he swears, if her wardrobe continues to progress in this pattern, she'll be naked by summer and he'll be dead of a heart attack.

He moves up that timeline when, at lunch, Annie crosses her legs and one patent leather pump clad foot drags its way up his calf. He chokes on his drink and barely keeps from making a fool of himself as he coughs. The group cast him concerned looks but he waves them off.

"Wrong pipe." That seems to satisfy everyone and they go back to their conversations.

His eyes quickly look down. From his seat at the end of the table, he can see exposed skin for what seems like miles and only ends at the hem of her black pencil skirt and Jesus Christ, that's it. He's done for. He grips the bottle in his hand and picks at the label furiously. He doesn't look up at her because there's only 2 ways _that_ can go. Either she knows exactly what she's doing and she's daring him to do something or she has no idea what's she's doing and he'll look up and Annie will be giving him those doe eyes. Either way, he's so, so screwed.

Jeff tells himself that he can do this, that he just needs to get through lunch and then he'll have time to compose himself. Annie seems to have other plans. Just as Abed begins explaining why Inception might be one of the best films of all time, she leans forward, her arm resting under her cleavage and pushing it damn near over the top of her cardigan.

His eyes refuse to look away as she breathes and they rise and fall. His hand on the bottle stills and the other squeezes his thigh because if he doesn't do something with his hands, his alternative action will most definitely get him killed. She laughs at something Troy says and the combination of her voice, the gentle bounce of her breasts and the twitch of her foot against him all but does it.

Everyone stops to look at him as they watch his phone clatter and spin across the floor. The device has separated into 4 pieces and Jeff looks back at them, panic written across his face.

"Damn!" He leans down to gather the remains of the Blackberry he'd thrown off the table.

"Do you want me...?" Annie begins, both legs sliding out from under the table just as Jeff looks up.

"Nope! I've got it. See you guys later."

He all but runs from the cafeteria and spends the better part of the hour sitting in his car and praying to God that the situation in his pants resolves itself before the next class.


	10. Misinterpretation of the Purposeful Kind

_**Author's Note:** This is based on the episode 'Paranormal Parentage'. To me, it seemed Annie was going completely out of her way to be un-sexy and this is what popped into my head. Enjoy!_

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><p>Annie is sitting in her room, as she is known to do, reading one of her many books, when she hears the familiar buzz of her cellphone.<p>

It's pretty late so she's a little confused when she reads the name "Jeff" on her screen. She half expects it to me something inappropriate.

_"I'm going as a boxer. Want to be my ring girl?"_

Annie frowns because this text is obvious meant for someone else. She and Jeff aren't a "thing", by his choice, and a joint costume seemed awfully close to defining this not-thing that they were trying to maintain. She doesn't know how to respond so she closes her phone and hopes that he realizes he sent it to the wrong person.

Fifteen minutes later, her phone buzzes again. She puts down her book carefully - it's just getting good - to check it again.

"_I'm not sure how to convey uncomfortable silence except..."_

Annie composes the text thoughtfully, being sure not to sound too much like herself.

_"Are you sure you're asking the right person?"_

_"Jeez, Annie. Yes or no? Times a wastin'"_

She allows herself a small before she responds. _"Sure."_

* * *

><p>Jeff doesn't know where he gets the balls to do it, but before he can turn back, he presses 'send' on his Blackberry. He's been thinking about this all summer which is sad because what adult plans their Halloween 4 months in advance on the off chance that he gets to see his super hot, super young, borderline illegal friend half naked?<p>

He groans because what the heck was he thinking? Well, it's too late to take back now, and so he waits.

When, after a whole fifteen minutes he hasn't received a response, he's a little on edge. Did that mean she didn't want to? Or that she couldn't? Was she going with someone else? And did matching costumes even mean they were together? It should because that would be a much easier way to go about this.

He types in his message, something cheesy and cringe worthy and he erases it to start again. He goes for clever and flippant and that comes off as a creepy. So he goes with semi-honest and slightly funny in hopes that at the very least, she'll respond, if only to say no.

The text that comes back to him has him metaphorically scratching his head. _Was he sure he had the right person?_ Who else would he be asking? That one stumps him because now he's starting to think that this is a very bad idea. Man up, says the voice in the back of his head. This shouldn't be this difficult but somehow, it seems that everything with Annie always is. He says as much, in much fewer words and with a little less sappiness. He throws in a little Western slang - a nod to a time, not so long ago, when they'd dressed up like fools together.

'_Sure'_

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><p>Jeff gives himself a mental high-five because he's actually managed to take a step into the world of legitimate communication. A state in which he can ask a question normally and be rewarded with the right answer. No lawyer speak, no bribery. Just normal.<p>

When Annie shows up in the study room dressed like an extra from The Walking Dead, Jeff rethinks this legitimate communication thing. He's beyond disappointed and his night has just become the most useless exercise in over primping ever. And to top it all off, they're being dragged to Pierce's stupid mansion.

Tonight blows.

When they get into his car, Jeff fixes her with a confused glare. Normally, it would seem like an impossible feat but he wears it well.

Annie glances at him as they pulls onto the main street. He's wearing a scowl and she's rolls her eyes in response.

"What?"

"How could you possibly misinterpret that?"

She shrugs. "I didn't."

"What?"

"I didn't misinterpret it."

It's Jeff's turn to roll his eyes. "Then I think you and I have a communication problem."

"Yes, we do."

"Why are you being so frustratingly cryptic?" They're waiting at the light and he's tapping his fingers restlessly against the steering wheel.

"Why did you want me to be your ring girl?"

Well, _that_ shut him up. Because he doesn't want to answer that question as much as she is avoiding his. She's not going to get him though, because he's the master at making people, no, _Annie_, uncomfortable. So he goes for it.

"Do I need a reason to want to see you half naked?"

"Exactly?" Her tone is the very essence of condescension, which is starting to really, really get to him.

"Seriously Annie. What the hell?"

"You want to see me strut around in a bra and hot pants while you're wearing nothing but a pair of shorts and a robe. Did you think that through or were you planning on walking around with your..." She gestures vaguely towards his lap "standing at attention all night?"

Jeff sputters for all of two seconds because damn it, she had him. She wasn't half as naive as she pretended to be and he apparently wasn't nearly as sly as he thought himself. His ego deflates and sinks further into his seat.

His earlier assessment was spot on - tonight blows.


	11. Just the Same

_**Author's Note:** I bet you're wondering what took me so long, right? Me too. The more I write this, the more I realize it's taking on a life of it's own. There are two very different stories emerging but it would take me way too long to separate them. Sooooo, I'm just going to continue on as I have been, and hope everything resolves itself in the end :) _

_This chapter is part of the Imperfect Timeline._

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><p>"Annie! Annie come on, this is ridiculous." Jeff feels like some kind of creep, driving beside her and yelling out of his window.<p>

She pretends not to hear him, her nose held high in the air and her books clutched firmly against her chest. He doesn't even know what they're fighting about or why he's putting this much effort into it but here he is, nearing ten at night, chasing after Annie Edison. Again.

"Annie, get in the car please."

"If it's all the same to you, I'll walk." She speeds up a little, which amazes him because for someone so small, she sure can move. He'd make a joke about the Greendale Speedwalkers Club but he can't because right now, Annie is being a little crazy and a lot dangerous.

"It's not."

"What?"

"It's not the same to me. It's 10'clock in one of the worst neighborhoods in the city and you are planning to walk literally miles to your house. Does that seem at all sane to you?"

"I don't need you to look after me Jeff! I've been doing just fine on my own!"

_Okay_, he thinks. Definitely missed something here. He tries to think back to anything and everything but he's coming up blank, except...

"Is this about what I said yesterday?" Jeff figures he's on the right track when she hesitates for a minute before pressing her lips into a straight line.

"Look, I didn't mean it like that." She stops and turns abruptly towards the car. She leans onto the passenger door, her hand gripping the window frame.

"But that's just it! You never mean it 'that way'. And I've spent _years_ misinterpreting everything, haven't I Jeff? Silly Annie Edison, too young to understand the grown up world but you know what? I've been an adult far longer than you Jeff. So maybe it's time _you_ grow up." Annie pushes away from the car and continues on her way.

And Jeff - well, Jeff feels ambushed. This can't be just about what happened yesterday and when the hell did this get so complicated? He puts his car in park and rolls up the window. For good measure, he fishes the club out from under the passenger's seat before locking it in place and hopping out. Annie is pretty far ahead and he has to jog just to catch up with her.

"Will you stop for a minute!" He's says it so loudly that it seems to echo off the darkness around them. He doesn't really care about making a scene if he has to but whatever this is - it's been happening far too often for his taste. She spins around and taps her foot impatiently. He tries to take his time when he asks his first question. "What are we fighting about?"

From the fire in her eyes and the look of death she's giving him, that was very obviously the wrong question. She lets out a scream of frustration. "Nothing Jeff. We're not fighting. Just forget it." She starts walking again and that's getting really annoying, really fast.

"Then what are we _doing_ because I don't get it! And I don't know what you want me to do and for the love of God will you stop walking!" Annie turns on her heel and walks up to him and she's so close that Jeff has to look down in order to look into her eyes. When he does, he doesn't like what he sees.

"What do I _want_ from you? I want you to make up your damn mind! I want you to, for once in your life, commit to something and stick with it! I want you to quit treating me like some yo-yo that you can bounce around! I want you to figure out what the hell you want so I can get on with my life!"

His heart stops and so does his lungs. He's frozen in space and time and it's just him and the rushing noise in his ears as he replays everything in fast forward and slow motion.

Is that what he was doing? Trying to make up his mind? He thinks about the last few weeks and the letter and the texts and he wonders if maybe, for once, he has no clue what he's doing. He's been trying - trying way more than he has for anything else in years and still, it seems that he hasn't gotten it right. He drops his eyes and turns away a little because his eyes are burning and he doesn't know how to make it stop.

"I'm sorry." Annie doesn't say anything. He can feel her fuming just inches away from him and he would give anything to make this _better_ because he hates fighting with Annie more than anyone. She has this inexplicable way of making him feel like he's clubbed a baby seal to death in front of her eyes and it makes him feel horrible on the inside. He tries again. "I didn't..."

"I swear, if you say 'I didn't mean it', I'm going to punch you in your nose again."

"Could you just let me talk, okay?" Jeff takes a breath to gather himself. "I didn't...I never had the intention of hurting you. And I'm sorry that's all I keep doing. I don't think you need someone to take care of you, I want to and I want you to want me to. And I'm not out here chasing you at crazy night hours because I don't think those MMA classes you started taking aren't teaching you anything because I saw the way you threw Simon on the quad yesterday. It's because I want to make sure that you get home safe and I want to know that when I say see you later, I'll really mean it." He clears his throat, now thick with words he never meant to say aloud. "I know you're not that young but I keep thinking that if we go with this, with us, I could ruin you. I could make you so miserable Annie and I don't want that. You're too young to be angry and bitter and I don't want that."

Annie sighs because this is typical Jeff. Not the big Winger speech or deep soul searching eyes but this short sightedness that always seems to meddle in his everyday life. It's ridiculous when she thinks about it because all of this is moot in a few months. They'll all graduate and the both of them will be free to do whatever they want. Instead of bringing the calm she expects, the thought frightens her because what she wants is still Jeff. She says as much, though it sounds a lot like a petulant child when she speaks the words aloud. "What about what I want? Whether you want to admit it or not, there's something here and you don't just get to pretend it's some fantasy I've made up in my head."

It's with those words that this whole thing clicks into place and he feels like a colossal ass.

Because all but calling the previously slightly crazy person crazy is as bad as actually calling said person crazy.

"Jesus Annie." He looks to the side, he looks over her head at the steep hill leading to seemingly nowhere. "Look, can we at least walk back to the car?" When she glares at him, he tries his luck. "I'm pretty sure I just saw a werewolf behind that dumpster."

She rolls her eyes. "Really? That's what you're going with?"

"Option 2 is I throw you over my shoulder and carry you."

"I'll scream."

Jeff scoffs. "Like that matters."

She lets out a huff. "Whatever." She starts walking and is surprised that the car is 3 very long, dark and scary blocks away. It's only a moment before Jeff is beside her.

Annie is so absorbed in being angry that she completely misses whatever he says.

"What?"

"I said...I said I'm sorry for being such a dick."

Annie snorts. She expects a follow up, something other than the obvious placation but he's silent for the rest of the walk.

Jeff unlocks the car as they approach and opens the passenger side door for her. Its nothing new - he's good at opening doors, so what, she thinks. When he's sure her legs are clear, he closes it. He walks around slowly and though it's dark, Annie can see him mumbling to himself. He pauses at the driver's side, his hand stopping midway to the handle.

She panics briefly because what if he really did see a werewolf? And though common sense tells her that's ridiculous, Greendale has taught her differently. She can't see anything as she swivels her head left to right. She's about to call out to him when he seems to snap out of it and opens the door.

He looks over to her, his jaw set in determination. His plan seemed pretty solid on the other side of the door but now that he's in the car? Not so much.

His first instinct is to kiss her because damn it, he _wanted_ to but if this and every situation with her before has taught him anything, it's that kissing solves absolutely nothing between them. In fact, he's sure he'll find some way to fuck it up. Because that's what he does - ruins good things.

He's staring at her and if he's looking for a way to freak her out, this is it. Annie shifts anxiously in her seat. He snaps forward and bides his time removing the club and before he knows it, he's looking at her and his mouth is moving.

"Will you go to dinner with me?" Jeff blurts it out and the statement hangs heavy in the silence.

"What?" Of course she heard him, because she can hear her own heart pounding in her chest. Of course she heard him but she waits for him to repeat in anyway.

"Will you go to dinner with me?" This time, he sounds much more committed to the question. "Anywhere you want. Just you and me."

Annie sputter. "Now? On a school night?" She says it like obviously he should know better. Jeff rolls his eyes.

"First, we haven't gotten homework in over a week _and_ exams aren't until two weeks from now. So yeah. Now. Or whenever. Preferably soon." He wants to say before they chicken out but Annie gets that on her own.

"Look, Jeff, you don't have to do me any favors." She looks away from him to stare at the empty streets. "I'm a big girl you know. Why don't... "

Before she can turn completely, he's pulling her towards him and damn it, he _really _tried. Really really tried but stubborn Annie was impossible to deal with reasonably. And contrary to popular belief, she wasn't the only one with a secret weapon. After years of research, Jeff has discovered, much to his unfair advantage, that Annie is a sucker for a good kiss.

So he kisses her and he doesn't regret it for one minute. He gives himself a mental high five when he feels her hands slide through his hair and she let's a little moan escape. Now, Jeff is all for making out with Annie in his car, but he has a plan and he's going to follow through. He pulls away slowly, reluctantly and tries to regulate his breathing. He clears his throat and tries again.

"So dinner?"

"I don't..." He doesn't know exactly what she's going to say but he knows it's not the answer he wants so he leans forward and kisses her again. Slow minutes pass before he leans back, a smile playing on his lips.

"Dinner?" Annie can't help but laugh at just how silly this all is.

"And if I say no?" His eyes flicker down to her lips for a moment before meeting hers. Annie laughs again. "Right. I suppose..." She scrubs nervous hands down her thighs. "I suppose I'll think about."

Jeff's smile is small but visible and that makes Annie's stomach flutter. He puts the key in the ignition and starts the car.

"Fair enough."


	12. You, Me and the Other People

Jeff and Annie have a mutual agreement to never mention their relationship to _them_.

Never turned out to be all of 3 weeks. And when it happens, it's just a little ridiculous.

It starts with Abed, as it almost always does. He's accepting, if slightly disappointed at the lack of sexual tension - his words of course. It's nothing they don't expect and they console him with promises of fights to come. After all, they're still Jeff and Annie.

Shirley catches them sharing a brief and by all definitions, chaste, kiss and in starts the promises of hellfire and brimstone through saccharine smiles and friendly pats on the shoulder. Annie assures her that Jeff hasn't taken advantage of her and Jeff sputters at the sideways glance that promises the wrath of God should she find out different.

Britta is all righteous indignation and '_duhs'_ because there's no way she didn't know about them. She misquotes Aristotle and butchers Freud but Jeff let's her have it because it must be hard to be that wrong all the time. She does her best impression of a feminist Nazi as if the very thought of Jeff dating anyone is a crime against humanity. Annie talks her down from her soap box, which is great. Jeff only has so much courtesy left in his soul, and he dispenses it sparingly.

Troy cries. He gives Annie a speech about how she's all grown up and soon she'll leave them. He gets choked up as he drags Jeff into what he can only assume is a death squeeze masquerading as a hug. He only lets go when Jeff starts coughing, at which point, he straightens up, tidies up and extends his hand. Jeff shakes it and Troy whispers, "I'm watching you." There isn't a trace of humor.

And Pierce. The operation goes something like this: _Don't look him in the eye, Annie runs up to him sitting on the bench in the quad and passes him a slip of paper and that's it, they're all done_. At least that's the plan. What actually happens is something they don't talk about because it makes Jeff livid and leaves Annie blushing furiously. Pierce has the decency to look properly chastised as two pairs of eyes glare at him. He shrugs and then pretends to hear something across the quad with his newfangled gadget. They let him go.

At the end of the day, when they're curled up on Jeff's couch, Annie sighs and says what she's been thinking all day.

"That was horrible." He chuckles in agreement.

"You think so? I think it went exactly as pictured." She snorts.

"That's not saying much. Thank God that's over. Now we can relax, maybe finally get a chance to go away for a weekend." Annie shifts beneath him and tucks her arms between them. She turns the charm on as she bats her eyelashes prettily.

Jeff laughs. "That's the third time this week. Haven't you ever heard of moderation? Sooner or later, I'll be immune."

She lowers her voice. "Then I'll go with plan B." He pulls her a little closer, his body yearning to feel her soft and warm against him.

"Oh yeah? And what's plan B."

She smiles up at him, slow and sexy and it immediately elicits memories of debate club and Christmas and damn it, she had him. His own smiles matches hers as he leans down to kiss her.

One hand is tangled in her hair as the other sneaks up to trace patterns across her back. Her hand fists in the front of his shirt and he's not even worried about the fabric. His lips move to her neck when he hears a tentative knock at the door.

"Jeffrey?" He pretends not to hear it. He's kissing her collarbone, delighting in the sounds she makes, only to have them interrupted by the persistent knocking behind them.

"Jeffrey, I know you're home. I saw you come in. Not that I was watching you or anything! Unless, of course, you want me to, in which case there's this lovely place called the Wildcat Cabana..."

"Oh my God, he never shuts up." It's half whisper, half frustrated growl as she rolls from beneath him and gets to her feet. Jeff is face down on the couch and watching her sway as she stalks to the door. Before he can advise against it, she swings the door open and greats Dean Pelton with a sunny smile.

"Something we can do for you Dean?" He's taken aback by her presence and a flustered hand flies to his chest.

"Ms. Edison! I didn't expect to...I was just checking in on Jeffrey. There's been a rash of break-ins in the neighborhood. You can never be too careful." Annie nods enthusiastically. And to Jeff's horror, the conversation continues, evolving, or devolving as he sees it, into a conversation about suture techniques and clever hiding places for pepper spray.

Ten minutes later, Annie has waved the Dean goodnight and Jeff is marveling at the fact that he didn't even have to show his face. When she's within reach, he grabs her around the waist and drags her down to the couch.

"Have I ever told you how amazing you are?"

"I could stand to hear it more often."

"Duly noted. Now, where were we?"

"I believe you were going to take your amazing girlfriend to bed."

"That," He plants a kiss on her lips, "I can do."


	13. Honest

_**Honest**_

"So, how long have you and Annie been sneaking around?"

"What? Abed, that's ridiculous."

"Not as ridiculous as the Snow White toothbrush in your bathroom."

Jeff rolls his eyes skyward because _of course_ this would happen. It's what he gets for inviting the most observant person in the universe to his too small to hide anything apartment.

"I don't suppose I could convince you that this is some wacky mix up involving a long lost niece?"

"Nice try, but the flowers on the windowsill and the well stocked fridge point to a Mary Homemaker bent on domestication through cutesy imagery and sheer force. Tactics I know all too well."

"So, is this the part where I threaten bodily harm and you have some deal I can't refuse?" Jeff sits back on the couch, readying his best offer.

"No." Abed's response is almost instant. As if expecting the raised eyebrow, he nods. "Some things aren't meant to be toyed with, Jeff."

"You're still in trouble for that impromptu kidnapping, aren't you?"

"I think she might kill me in my sleep. " His tone is deadly serious. "This could be my ace in the hole."

"Right...so we're good?" Jeff hands Abed a bowl of popcorn.

"We're cool Jeff. Cool, cool, cool."


	14. Sunday Mornings

**Sunday Mornings**

_**Author's Note:** _This one is a bit...naughty. Nothing explicit and probably nothing you haven't read before, but young ones - you have been warned.

Annie is warm and comfortable and so not ready to wake up. The world is soft and bright and _perfect._

She snuggles deeper into the thick cotton sheets and can't help but notice how heavy her body feels. Weighed down and anchored and now that she thinks about it, there is definitely someone sleeping behind her and she half hopes that it's some awkward Britta thing and all but prays that it's a Jeff emotional kind of thing.

And unless Britta grew over a foot in one night, the sheer size of the warm body behind her points heavily to the latter.

She has to say that this feels wonderful. And she doesn't use that word lightly. Not like Shirley's "that's nice" or Abed's "cool cool cool". No, she means it in the butterflies in her stomach and metaphorical hearts floating in the air sort of way, in a way that reminds her that she's not that far removed from high school and that even at 22, she's still a bit of a sap.

She doesn't care, it's _wonderful_.

She changes her mind and replaces it with extraordinary when she feels Jeff's arm tighten around her waist and his fingers graze across the exposed skin of her stomach. She shudders a little and snuggles back against him. He nuzzles into her neck and inhales deeply, the breath tickling her and raising goosebumps across her body.

Before this is all ruined, she takes the time to catalog the details - the way her shampoo and his cologne mingle in the air, the way the sun dances across her bed sheets, the flutter of embarrassment because of course the one night Jeff spends in her bed, she's got those damned heart sheets on and could she look any more like a lovesick teenager? She delights in how tightly he's curled behind her. The bed is much too small for him and his feet are almost hanging off the edge. From here, she can see his shirt carefully folded across the foot board and...a chair wedged underneath the doorknob?

The situation is strange, sure, but Annie can tell he's still wearing his jeans and although it has ridden up quite a bit, she still has her skirt on. The chair though, she doesn't remember. And again, she doesn't care.

Annie doesn't know how long she has been drifting in and out of sleep but every once and a while she can feel Jeff's fingers clench against her stomach, sending a jolt of pleasure to all the right places. She's sure he's doing it subconsciously but it's getting increasingly difficult to ignore. He does it again and this time the pad of his thumb just brushes the underside of her breast. That one small gesture changes everything. In response, her hips push back against his and a moan catches in her throat. She reaches one hand back to rest on his forearm but the feel of his skin underneath her fingertips only makes her want more. She slides her hand down to rest over his and tries to go back to sleep.

Twenty minutes later he does it again and the moan that escapes her is anything but subtle. Her half lucid dreams and his hands against her body are sending her nerves into overdrive and all she wants is for him to touch her in earnest - no more soft grazes but deliberate touch to ease this building ache. Emboldened by the veil of sleep, Annie shifts her hips back and adds in a tiny but unmistakable circular motion. She's rewarded with the tightening of his hands and a deep groan. It's only a moment more before she feels warm lips on her neck. Her back simultaneously pushes towards him and arches away. Jeff uses this opportunity to move the other arm up under the curve of her waist and pulls her closer. He slides his hand up until he's cupping her breast in one hand and tracing patterns over her stomach with the other.

When Jeff had woken up earlier, he was _sure_ this was a dream. There was no way he was in Annie's bed let alone feeling the things he was feeling. So he chalked it up to one of his many Annie related dreams and went back to sleep.

Now though? Now is a _whole_ different story. Because she's making the most amazing noises and if he thought her everyday "I can't believe you just said that" gasps were scandalous, well, he has no words to qualify what these noises were doing to him. Each moan shoots straight to places he's been trying to ignore and the fact that she's obviously trying to keep quiet plays into a very particular fantasy he had about this very room.

The warmth of her skin against his is intoxicating and as he kisses further down her neck to the junction of her collarbone, Jeff is more aroused than he's been in a very, very long time. He's hovering over Annie, just beginning to slide her shirt down over her shoulder when there's a loud thud on her bedroom door.

"Annie we're sorry!" Troy sounds as though he has his mouth against the wood. Jeff groans into her neck and thinks of reasons why he _can't_ punch him.

Annie doesn't seem at all worried.

"We didn't mean to barge in last night. Britta has explained the error of our ways and we offer you our sincerest apologies." Abed doesn't sound all that convincing, especially not when he jiggles the door handle.

"Dude, we just talked about this." Troy admonishes and they fall silent. Jeff prays that's the end of it. He's about to continue drawing a map with his mouth across Annie's skin when Troy's voice comes through the door again. "Annie, come on! You can't still be mad at us! And you can't still be sleeping, it's already after 11 and Denny's is about to start their all you can eat brunch."

At the mention of the time, Jeff extricates his right arm and props himself up. This earns him a frustrated growl from Annie because really, she knew this was too good to last.

A glance at the clock shows it's 11:17 and Troy is right, Annie never sleeps this late. Neither does he. His left hand slides across one of those glorious, until now absolutely forbidden globes - if only to commit the feeling to memory. He glances down at her. Her skin is flushed and her breasts heave temptingly as she tries to even out her breathing. The whole scene sends shivers down his spine and makes his stomach flutter.

_Screw Troy and Abed,_ he thinks as he leans down to kiss her. She kisses him back eagerly, soft pecks and hands running through his hair, short nails grazing his scalp. He loves it, maybe loves her and he's moving lower but someone bangs on the door and he rests his head on her ample cleavage. He's satisfied that he'll at least have been able to do this before he's put on trial for murdering his friends/classmates/mortal enemies.

"Annie, you promised!"

"I swear I'm going to kill them." Jeff's voice is muffled but she gets enough of what he's saying to agree. She plays with the hair at the nape of his neck and tries to catch her breath. She thinks Jeff might be falling asleep again because he's getting heavier and squishing her, which she's perfectly okay with.

Now that Annie's mind is clearing, the chair under the door is coming back to her. She remembers sneaking Jeff into her room last night just to hang out. She didn't expect anything to come from it but they needed to talk and since the Dean had a constant ear to Jeff's walls, there wasn't really another option.

She hadn't counted on Abed and Troy stumbling into her room last night after returning home from the movies. It so happened that they were both so hopped up on sugar and soda that they missed Jeff laying on the floor next to the bed. She'd reprimanded them, wedged the chair under the door and blushed furiously for the better part of an hour. After they'd settled down in the living room, Annie couldn't figure out how to get Jeff back out and decided it was better if he stayed.

Based on the current events, she gives herself a mental high five because, yeah, they were interrupted but what did happen? _Ah-mazingly extraordinary_. Jeff sighs against her skin and then rolls over onto his back, his strong hands dragging her with him until she's straddling his hips and laying across his chest.

"Your roommates suck." He whispers. She lets out a soft giggle.

"They have their moments."

"They have horrible timing."

"Maybe next time we should go to your place." The minute the sentence leaves her mouth, she wants to take it back. Because isn't this how it always starts? They have these moment and then he pretends it never happened and she always ends up feeling like a silly little girl. She's about to say something else - maybe something witty or funny or anything that doesn't sound so desperate but he makes the first move. He wraps one arm around her shoulders and she can feel him twirling her hair in his fingers.

"Agreed. I mean, the Dean and I only share that wall in the living room. And I'm pretty sure I found all the cameras he 'forgot' in my apartment. Plus my bed is much more suited for normal sized people than this crib you're sleeping in and did I just use the word crib? Forget I said that. That was creepy. How long do you think it'll take them to leave?"

Annie almost misses his question because her heart and her stomach are too busy doing back flips.

"Oh, um, hold on." Annie clears her throat and puts on her judge-y Annie face. She sits up slightly and turns towards the door. "Troy, I'm still very disappointed in you and Abed. We had an agreement and you broke it. You two can have brunch by yourselves and think about what you've done. We'll talk about this later."

She can hear Abed and Troy debating on the other side of the door before she hears a slight sniffle. "It won't be the same without you." Troy's voice trembles. Annie actually looks a little sad for lying to them which Jeff thinks is ridiculous. He tells her as much. They hear the front door slam.

"You know how he is Jeff. Troy hates it when people are mad at him." Annie pouts as she lays back down on his chest.

"Yeah whatever. Do you want to go get breakfast? I know this great place by my apartment that makes a killer egg white veggie omelet."

Annie nods happily. Today was turning out to be pretty damn awesome.


End file.
